standard procedure

currently listening Ojala by Silvio Rodriguez - so happy to have discovered this when being performed by a guitarist at the market last sunday


Last semester I decided to fulfill a longtime dream of mine: to own a moped. I had been daydreaming about this for some time and so finally, after looking for ages and quite a bit of negotiating with a local scooter dealer, I purchased my own yamaha vino and a steamy love affair ensued:

baby vino.

For six months, I got around Austin by bike and scooter and when I wasn't dying from the freezing cold I really enjoyed myself. And then I took a curb too sharply. Myself and the scooter suffered a few scrapes. A bus driver called out from his window at me to see if I was okay. "I am!" I yelled, and then I started tearing up. (Ouch.) And then I hit a cat. Yep. One night I was cruising down Duval Rd. and a cat came out of nowhere and I actually hit it going 25 mph. This was heartbreaking for me, being the cat person that I am, but luckily the cat  (and I) were alright. It really shook me up though. I just remember laying there on the cement, looking at the yellow divider lines, thinking "Ok, I should probably get up now" and then having a nice couple help me up and get the scooter running again. 


After that, I felt like I finally understood what my motorcycle instructor meant about always keeping your mind on the road. It's not anything like driving a car in which  you have the liberty of zoning out - daydreaming in traffic or twiddling with the radio station dials. You've always got to be thinking about the road. So on one hand, even when it was beautiful outside - those wonderfully sunny spring days in Austin - and I was cruising along enjoying the ride, I could never completely let myself relax. And I don't think you can. You can only really enjoy kicking back and riding a scooter/motorcycle to a point; to the extent that in the back of your mind you're constantly scrutinizing the moves of every other object on the road and anticipating what could happen. 


Anyway, the other day I realized that my idea of riding a scooter around is similar to my experience so far in Argentina. Even before coming here, I heard so many stories about pick-pocketing and being held up on the bus system at knifepoint that I had a pretty healthy dose of caution. But living in Recoleta, which is considered the nicest neighborhood in Bs.As., I've kind of shed some of that fear. Only this last week when the US Embassy came to speak with our program about crime in Argentina, ironically, did I realize any of that fear. For the first time, I was ALMOST robbed on the subte as Sarah and I were coming back from Palermo after a day of shopping. I had that feeling of "desconfianza" that one of our program coordinators, Victoria, had described. I moved to get away from the dodgy fellow and he followed. Sure enough, next thing I know - I saw him slowly prying my celular out of my purse and I quickly glanced up to look at him - which i think startled him - and it was enough to get out of that situation and off the subte. It was close, and luckily nothing happened, but it made me realize how I really can't let myself get too comfortable. And it's not just me - in our program alone, we've had at least four "cases" already. When I'm out on the streets I'm always considering the time of night, the barrio I'm in, who's going to walk me home later, and whether I'll have enough money for a cab in case I'm stuck. Even when I'm just standing outside on the sidewalk - or in the subte - I'm holding my purse and keeping an eye out. 


Being subconsciously cautious at all times is a way of life here; it's just how people live. I knew the feeling was familiar. Incidentally, I ended up selling my scooter before coming to Buenos Aires.




The week of "vacaciones de invierno" ended today with a mayoral runoff election in Buenos Aires which meant that even more things than usual were closed on Sunday because people in the Capital Federal are required to vote. As a result of this, the city banned the selling of alcohol after 6pm on saturday which meant most clubs/boliches/bars were closed last night. No vino with our dinner! gasp! It's crazy how the whole city can almost come to a halt for a gubernatorial election here, whereas in my hometown back home I could easily go on existing without ever even hearing about a local election.


Photos from winter break!

Toothbrush machine in the bathroom. Not sure. #keytosuccess?

Tigre, about an hour north of Bs.As. It's a delta canal system in which the community exists sans cars and commutes by boat!

Mate!

I really need to start documenting the graffiti here. here's one of my favorites so far, of carlos gardel 

Casa Bar! We seem to go here a lot.

Inside Cumuna; traditional argentine cuisine and superbarato! the only catch is the wait: there's usually a long line of people on the sidewalk waiting for a table, despite the cold

Cazuela at Cumuna, classic! Perfect on a 5 degree C winter day. (heyyy who's warming up to the metric system?!)

I love that even the cornerstore markets have an excellent wine selection.

And a great variety of meat and cheese.

Disco! my supermarket's name is Disco. 

Grocery delivery is pretty standard in the city

ESTIMADO CLIENTE: As evidence of the elections, the entire wine/drinks section of Disco had to be barricaded. 

Inner city motorcycle delivery is common for anything from restaurant diners, confiterias, or my favorite: HELADERIAS! BA knows their ice cream.

bike fleeting in san isidro

chau chau chicos!

¿Cómo se dice, GET OFF THE BUS?

currently listening


One of the things I've been loving most about Buenos Aires is the abundance of people that don't mind just stopping and talking. I'm catching onto the accent - in fact, I think it's relinda), but it's sometimes hard navigating through all the different ages/tempos/slurs/temperments that are out there. But it's interesting; I never thought I'd get to the point in learning spanish that I was better at speaking than listening. It's a problem I feel I have sometimes even in my own native language but never would've expected it in spanish. Because conversations usually don't function only one-way, I've made it a goal to see a movie in spanish every week and in the process, hope to explore all the cines and museums the city has.

This week is our winter break, so we'll finally have a chance to get out of recoleta a bit and explore. yesterday we managed to successfully take the colectivo, the bus system here in buenos aires! i had managed to somehow avoid using it for the first two weeks i've been here, knowing that sooner or later I'd have to deal with the monster that is the guia-t. here is how the guia-t works and how you (are supposed to be able to) find your bus:

1. find your location on the map and locate it's designated grid # (C4, D5 pg 16 for ex)

2. find where you want to be .....ok

3. look at what routes pass your current location and your destination .....easy enough

4. look at the actual route posted in the back of the book. ok. here it gets tricky. it doesn't give you an exact route really, but more like the direction in which the bus is heading...and what streets it might pass on its way. you just kind of have to know. 

also, one thing the guia-t leaves out is where the bus stops are. oh- but it does tell you what the bus looks like! in case you might see it passing you on the street because you didn't realize you had to flag it down.

yesterday we got on just to ride three blocks to the cementary. hahaha. by the time we finished paying, it was time to get off. but we did it! luckily, a really nice old man at this amazing used book store (see photo below!) told me what bus to get on. maybe that will be my game plan anytime i need to go somewhere!

used book store owned by the sweetest (and clearly, most helpful) old couple . booked my copy of an old version of don quixote!

they even have one of those ladders that glide along a track line! so great.  i've always wanted one of those.

the obselisk, monument on the world's widest avenue, 9 de Julio.

buildings on 9 de Julio,  i swear they are bigger than they look in the photo

one of my expectations was fully realized in buenos aires - that alfajores are ever-present in society 

bar toys at Lima Mia 

i need to go back to lima mia

salad pizza at what we coloquially call "la casa de feliz" aka THE HAPPINESS HOUSE. my killer vegetarian/whole foods inspired meals have been routinely coming out to about $4 american dollars. #wut

picnicing in the plaza with sarah before class

buildings. this one is a church on my way from school

argentine buildings, iconic style

transito

miniture alfajor! second cutest thing i've seen. nearly a dime at the local corner store

to our friend juan martin "whoa what is this building!?" "well, this building. ah, this building has a story. but i don't know what it is."

being sophisticated, drinking wine and reading books at a book-cafe of course.

Inside teatro el globo

the building i pass on the way to school every morning. in the nighttime, it is the local gothic hot(topic)spot for teens.

is this real.

currently listening


I really feel like a foreigner, probably because I am one. it's a unique situation for me, having never really left texas except to visit san francisco/california. which is arguably pretty similar to Austin. the hardest thing i've encountered so far is just how hard it is to express yourself in a language you are still learning; personality. when I meet people here, there's so much that I want to convey that I can't because I can't find quite the correct words. I'm getting really good at body language/facial expressions. and also my spanish is constantly improving!
some differences I've picked up on immediately, which seem fitting to list:

• spanish/castellano: the accent is really thick. especially when the program director at usal talks, all i hear is, "shhhshhhsshshshhs" not even kidding. sometimes my host family will repeat a word for me and it takes me three times until i finally figure out that I actually do know the word they're saying - it's just coated in dulce de leche
• plastic surgery and body image: so i've heard it's really common here. it is. the people (both men and women) are beautiful and that may be part of the reason. already, one of the student's in my program has a host sister that just doesn't eat. when I was 16, I was making pancakes on my study breaks! how strange. 
• cafe culture: i love it! there are cafes everywhere for people to get together and have a drink or take coffee. nobody takes coffee to go. it's meant to be enjoyed. also when you get coffee at a cafe, waiters typically give you little cookies to go with your coffee without even asking. i'm cool with that. also, for some reasons all the bathrooms are upstairs - where there is also additional seating overlooking the street where people study or....in the case of last night gather around giant big screen tvs to shout and drink quilmes when argentina is playing! or anyother equipo de futbol for that matter.
• sundays everything (almost) shuts down and families spend time together at the mercadero or walking around. lots of people at the plaza (see pics below today) 
• eating times/going out: daily schedule: wake up - have a coffee and small cookie that tastes like cocoa puffs in cookie form, go to the gym (megatlon! everyone has a membership. it's the norm.) where i get a spanish lesson from the friendly desk lady who i love, lunch around 1, small snack/more more coffee around 5, eat dinner with fam at 9....go out until 3. repeat. had dinner at midnight last night though - typical! 
• window shopping exits here in a big way. i happen to live on one of the biggest streets for shopping. this is going to be dangerous. 
• not calling people: because it's cheaper to just text people here, we try to refrain as much as possible to talk on the phone. also, my phone is programmed in spanish - including T9 - which means I either text in broken spanish or take a miserably long time trying to type out my thoughts in english. it's good practice.
• going out: most places charge an entrance fee (unless you rsvp or show up for dinner beforehand) but i think still  give you a pass for a drink. i guess this ensures that they get business at the bar. 

it's interesting being the foreigner. i'm so used to students studying abroad at UT and i really don't think anything strange of it - i just think it's really cool that they're from another country and i don't mind helping them with their english. now i'm in that position, and definitely encountering some of the feelings/experiences i'm assuming they must also go through. most of the time when I can't convey myself or just completely can't understand someone i usually just laugh about it or say "yes" too many times. it's pretty funny to me. i think the doorman thinks so too.

my desk overlooking Avenida Santa Fe in Recoleta. note the sticker my host parents left for all the  foreign students they've had jajaj

El Ateneo bookstore

baby yellow auto, you're the cutest thing i've seen

intercambio USAL! program friends and argentine amigos

will probably have consumed what amounts to this much wine while i'm in argentina 

calle

live music at the mercadero this sunday

outside recoleta cemetary near sunset

ryan!

ignore the tgi fridays logo in the back

god i love this place.

first encounters

Things that are happening a lot in my life right now:


carne (el bife)
spanish
café
vino
not getting robbed (suprise?)
miscommunications
host family love

the view from my bedroom this morning